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There shall be signes; in the sunne, and the moone and the starrs: and in the earth distresse of nations, for the confusion of the sound of the sea and waues, &c. Luc. 21.
CONSIDER that there are two Aduents, or comings of Christ, intimated in this Gos∣pell, and celebrated in the holy Catholike Church. The one of feare, when he shall come in dread full maiestie to iudge the vniuer∣sall world: to thend that by whosome
feare, the forerunner of wisdome, the heartes of her children may the better be prepared to receiue hym by loue in his first coming by his gracious Incarna∣tion, when he comes in humilitie and infirmitie. Nor is there a better way to secure our selues against his dreadfull maiestie in that, then by imitating his abismall humilitie in this.
[Affection.] Let vs then, my soule, vpon the first sommons of that dreadfull day, rowse vp our selues from the sleepe of negligence and sinne, and without fur∣ther dallying and delay, fall seriously vpon the studie of our Master Christ his first lesson, humilitie; knowing with S. Pau∣le, that now it is the houre that we ought to ryse, being called vpon by our holy mothers care. Now I say, euen now; at this verie houre, because the youngest, the strongest, the wisest of vs all, knowes not whether the next houre will be allo∣wed him yea or noe.
CONSIDER the dreadfullnesse of that second coming, by the astonish∣ing
forerunners of it, as they are put downe by the pen of the holy Ghost. Ther shall b•• signes in the sunne, and in the moone, and the starrs, and vpon the earth distresse of nations through the confusion of the sound of the sea and waues. Behold the wrothfull iudge doth not yet appeare, and yet the sun∣ne is obscured: the moone refuseth to afford its light: the starrs fall from the heauens; the earth quakes: the sea rores; all is in confusion on all sides: to witt, what was fore told by wisdosme, begins to be fulfilled: The round world shall fight with him against the senselesse: and he will arme his creatures to the reuenge of his enemyes.
[Affection.] I haue sinned against thee, ô my dread lord, I haue donne impiously in the sight of thee, my deare father: I haue committ iniquitie, before the face of all thy creatures: Noe wonder then they all ryse vp against me, disloyall wretch that I am. Alas there is nothing in me but confusion and rottennesse: nothing that is able to abide the strickt tryall of thy sterne iustice, vnlesse thy mylde mercy come out before to pre∣uent it. Mercy deare lord, mercy, Per∣mitt not the poore soule which thou hast
daigned to loue, and which has noe other hope but in thee, perishe in thy anger, mercy, mercy, mercy.
CONSIDER further the dreadful∣nesse of the same coming, by the wonderous effects it seemes to worke in men and Angells. In the Angells; for the heauenly powers, (goes on our text) that is, the Angells themselues (though otherwise secure in themselues, and ab∣solutly possessed of beatitude) are mo∣ued with a certaine admiration and re∣uerentiall feare, by the apprehension of the approch of the wrothfull iudge; the exactnesse of his iustice, ād the multitudes of those that are to be iudged. And in men, since they shall euen wither away, with a dreadfull expectation of what will be∣come of them and the whole world.
[Affection.] O poore sinfull man! o thou who finds thy conscience ouer burdened with so many disloyalties against thy deare lord: tortured with such multitu∣des of crymes against thy dreadfull, all∣sceing, euer-liuing iudge. Alas! What
will then become of thee, when the ve∣rie Angells shall quake with feare; the Angells who are neither guiltie of sinne or euen can sinne: the Angells who al∣wayes performed the will of their lord: the Angells who are in the sure possession of his glorie. What will become of vs, my soule, who are guiltie of so many imperfections, palpable negligences, and heynous crymes (makaing a short refle∣ction vpon the course of our whole lise)
[Resolution.] I will therfor iudge my selfe, while there is yet tyme &c.